District 3 track and field: Biglerville's Danny Stoner repeats as pole vault champ, but misses record
SHIPPENSBURG >> Danny Stoner's name will live in the District 3 record book forever as a back-to-back pole vault champion, and for a split second it looked like it would also live on as the district record-holder.
The Biglerville senior won the District 3 Class AA championship for the second year in a row Saturday at Shippensburg University, using a first-attempt vault of 14 feet to secure the title. Then he took a shot at 14 feet, seven inches, trying to match a 36-year-old District 3 record, set by Northern Lebanon's Darryl Miller in 1979.
Stoner, his competitors and his coaches knew he could do it, because he's done it before. He vaulted 14-7 just last weekend at the YAIAA championships in Dallastown to break the Canners' 43-year-old school record, set at 14-6 by Dave Gorman in 1972.
After two failed attempts, Stoner appeared to have his record-tying vault. But his hip grazed the bar as he vaulted over, nudging away an opportunity to take a shot at breaking the record.
"I was hoping, I was really hoping," he said of that last attempt. "I didn't have the exact same feeling that I had last weekend at Dallastown, and it just didn't happen. But that's OK. I'll go to states and have another opportunity to go higher there."
He said the prospect of tying or breaking the district record was something that other people talked about more than he really thought about it. He was more focused on qualifying for states, which he did, and winning another district title.
"I had some really good attempts at 14-7, but it just wasn't there today," he said. "At the beginning, we had a big tailwind and when it came down to 14-7, we didn't have it anymore. I can't blame it all on that, but I was close."
Saturday's results from the District 3 track and field championships
Stoner will have another chance to clear 14-7 and try to improve on his personal record next weekend at the PIAA championships, which will also be held at Shippensburg University.
DORSEY FLIPS THE SCRIPT >> Delone Catholic junior Tavian Dorsey qualified for states, but not in the event he thought he would qualify in.
Dorsey entered the District 3 championships seeded second in the 200-meter dash, but he missed out on a state appearance with a fourth-place finish in Saturday's final. He completed the race in 23.22 seconds, just .72 seconds short of the state-qualifying standard.
He'll still make his first state championships appearance next week, though, after running a 11.39 in the 100 dash for second place.
"I would've never guessed it, I would've guessed the total opposite," Dorsey said. "All season, the 200 has been my biggest event. I've always been excited for it, always getting PRs. It just flipped around today. I'm still happy I'm making it to states in the 100, but I wish I would make it for the 200, too."
Saturday's Class AAA results: Central York's Wilson, Baublitz score two of many YAIAA bronze medals
Dorsey said he hopes to place in the 100 next weekend, but he's more focused on learning from his first state championships appearance.
"I'm really excited, it will be a great experience," he said. "I can see what it's like and practice in the offseason."
TRIPLE MEDALISTS >> Bermudian Springs junior Gabby Emeigh and Hanover junior Deandre Kerr each added two medals to their win totals to finish the weekend with three apiece.
After placing third in the discus on Friday, Emeigh placed third in the shot put and fifth in the javelin. She didn't meet the state qualifying standard in any of her events, though, so her season is over.
The same goes for Kerr, who placed third in the 110 hurdles and sixth in the 300 hurdles. He was particularly disappointed with his place and time in the 300 hurdles, a 43.30, after he was seeded third after the semifinals.
"I just couldn't find my steps," he said. "I usually do 13 steps in between (hurdles), but I did like 16 steps. It was bad."
Medal stand
In addition to Stoner, Dorsey, Emeigh and Kerr, athletes from York and Adams counties racked up 13 more Class AA medals in the final day of the district meet:
FOURTH PLACE >> Morgan Reed (Fairfield, shot put)
FIFTH PLACE >> Kate Mowrey (Delone Catholic, 1,600), Hannah Logue (Fairfield, 200), Delone Catholic girls' 3,200 and 400 relay teams.
SIXTH PLACE >> Nicole Shelton (Christian School of York, 1,600), Logue (400)
SEVENTH PLACE >> William Greene (Delone Catholic, 1,600), Fairfield girls' 400 relay team, Delone Catholic girls' 1,600 relay team.
EIGHTH PLACE >> Maddie Comly (Delone Catholic, javelin), Mowrey (800), Bermudian Springs 1,600 relay team.
DAY 1 COVERAGE
Friday's complete results from the District 3 track and field championships
Franklin-Fulton: Waynesboro's Lilly Harnish wind high jump; Chambersburg trio advances to states
Lebanon: Annville-Cleona's Adam Fox is golden in district javelin
Lancaster: Cocalico's Emily Stauffer, Columbia's Jordan Haberstroh and Warwick's David Lucas strike gold
York/Adams Class AAA: Painful ending for West York sprinter Abdul Junaid
York/Adams Class AA: Littlestown's Bre smith wins discus as YAIAA's only Day 1 gold medalist